Mod: Pax Malazica.

[Endoperez]

The only mage with full random is Lore Master. A Cadre Mage shouldn't be anywhere close to them, whatever they are portrayed in the books. Two full randoms would already make them one of the best secondary mages available for any nation as far as versatility goes, and if they also get 50 and two 10% randoms in addition to the two full randoms they would be the most versatile recruitable mage in the game, AND they'd often be quite powerful in battle.

To increase reliability a bit the 50% might be coupled to one of the 100%'s so there is at least a 50% chance of having 2 in a path. (no idea if that can be modded though, but the gath have it)

Linked randoms have never appeared in anything but 200 or 300 reliability. I don't think 150% chance would work, and if it's 100 and 50% random they are independent of each other.


S1 and elemental random is pretty good IMO. Alone, they're weak unless they use a gem to cast Power of the Spheres and/or Earthpower/Phoenixpower, or can use Storm/Water Power. With communion, though, they scale up very well. If you're afraid they're too weak, give them a low-chance S random or change the random to elementals + S. That way, some of them can use the Astral combat spells up to Soul Slay (with Light of the Northern Star).

[Calchet]

As far as the cadre mages are concerned, I did start them out as completely random, but scaled their randoms down to the main elements I chose to narrow it down - F, W, E and A, or Telas, Ruse, Tennes and Serc. The astral level represents not so much them forming actual communions in the books, as the fact that they do work together as units of mages.

For now, I'm also keeping them at a rather low power level, two first-level paths, seeing as how they're cheap, recruitable anywhere, and in the late age. Real spells are left to the High Mages or full cadres cooperating.

While on the topic of magic, I'm thinking a set of unusually early teleportation spells requiring a modest number of astral levels would be thematic (the Imperial Warren) as well as useful for the Claw to move around looking for suitable victims - can anyone think of anything else they should have, thematically?

[Aezeal]

Endo, would it really be so overpowered? The chance of reliably getting a mage that can do the same higher magic as another is very low so you can't really research toward something or field a battery of mages casting the same spell. Not to menion most of the time they'd only have 3 total magic "points" most often in 3 different paths.

They would be versatile for sure but I can't really see them as powerfull on the battlefield.
To be honest I really think they might even be weak the way I did them.

And since the malazan empire is so large I think the ability to have all magic is a nice fitting bonus that is not yet in any nation and would make them different.

Anyway I do think the cadre mage needs a little boost maybe 2 randoms in total and a bit more versatility (maybe N or D) And only having a 2 point mage recruitable everywhere makes a bit of a weak magic nation.

I think the teleportation spell idea is a good idea (I had the same idea myself but I was about to suggest cheap national spells for each magic type) but that might be MUCH more unbalancing than the mage I suggest.

What do you think of the flying support troops I suggested?
And you really don't want sacreds? (I can't think of a unit that should be sacred though.. except that the claw is clearly in Laseens favor.)
PS you could give the high fist a banner too if he still needed pumping to make him more viable (But I think the sailing is a better first step)

[Endoperez]

Aezeal said:
Anyway I do think the cadre mage needs a little boost maybe 2 randoms in total and a bit more versatility (maybe N or D) And only having a 2 point mage recruitable everywhere makes a bit of a weak magic nation.

I haven't read the books. Would the Claw be capital-only or not? recruitable everywhere S2A1 mage is good enough for combat, especially in LA, and in middle game at least communions would be good. If the Cadre Mages are the only non-capital mages available, then yes, they could use something else. At least 50% pick of something useful, like S2?

[Calchet]

The Claw should probably be capital only, so as to not become the main mages used in battles, rather kept for assassination, scout and raiding duties.

Regarding Cadre Mages, I'm wondering - is it possible to get magic-using commanders recruitable without needing a lab? That might be one way to boost them up, alongside a very low cost for even their modest magic skill.

[Amos]

Would you be adding various Ascendants? I would like to see Oponn as a summon.

[Calchet]

I might well toss in a few summons if I can manage to create art that works well as representing their results, but I'll be the first to note that I'm not a real artist.

Putting that aside, though, I have a hard time seeing most ascendants putting themselves under the command of a pretender - possibly excepting said Oponn, and then only for a time. (Until luck turns, say.)

The summon should, I reckon, be astral-based and involve the possibility of getting absolutely nothing or less than what you pay for. Say, a set of results including the twins themselves, three or four useful units that are still worth less than what you pay, and one or two completely useless units.


If things work out well with the Malazan Empire, however, I'll likely move on to other nations in the universe, which will bring in some ascendants as pretenders - Rake and Brood, for example.